Morteza Sadegh Amalnik - Mechanical and Manufacturing Eng. Dept.Tabriz University, Tabriz Islamic Republic of Iran

A knowledge base system for improving ECSM-wire machining based on object oriented techniques is introduced. The design description is obtained through a feature-based approach. Seven different classes of design features are interactively acquired. The attributes of steel as work piece material, copper wire-electrode as a tool material, one type of electrolyte solutions, and one size of Wire-Electro-Chemical Spark Machine (Wire-ECSM), machining conditions such as pulse-on time, off-time, and current and, nozzle distance are stored in a database. For each design feature, information needed in manufacturing, such as the machining cycle time and cost, material removal rate, width of cut, maximum possible feed rate, working feed rate, side clearance, cutting area, operation efficiency, are estimated. It can also be integrated within a CIM environment.

ECSM; EDM; ECM, CIM, Wire-ECSM, KBS